Cork cutting machine



April 1940- .1. M. BINDER I 2,196,288

CORK CUTTING MACHINE Filed Sept. 28, 1939 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR I i c/Zkw 77g ,Ba'nder 1 BY April 9, 1940- J. M. BINDER 5, 88

CORK CUTTING MACHINE Filed Sept. 28, 1939 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR Jam 22 ,Bzlnder April 9, 1940. J. M. BINDER CORK CUTT ING MACHINE Filed Sept. 28, 1939 I 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 -IiiIHIIIHHHIIIIIHHIW' INVENTOR Z 2 Binder NEY I fiatenteci Apr. 194G UNITED STATES PATENT, o-FFic John M. Bindenliew Hyde Park, N. Y., assignor to Consolidated-Cork Corporation, New York, N. Y a corporation of New York Application September 28,1929, Serial No. 296388 This invention relates to machines for cutting cork rodsinto disks, such as are employed as packings in'the metal caps 'used as closures for bottles, cans and similar receptacles.

[5 In the manufacture of these disk like; cork packings, ground or corn'rninuted cork is pressed into lengthy rods and these ro'dsare placed vertically in a rotating turret. As the turret rotates,

the rods are carried thereby into contact with a the disks. The rods to be severed are carried by the rotating turret in vertically dsposed tubes,

there being aweight located in each tube to bear. down upon the top of the rod therein to constantly .force the rod downwardly toward the bottom of the turret and toward the rotating knife located thereat and at the same time to prevent rotativemoveinent of the cork rod within thentube. Since the turret is provided with a relatively large number of the tubes within which the jcork rods are placed, andsince a separate weightis employed ineach tube, the ta'sk of removing these Weights and replacing them each time the'tubes mus't'be refilled with cork rods,is a tedious and time-consuming'one;

, Accordingly,v the primary object of the present inventioniis 'to provide a cork cutting machine wherein all of the Weights employed for the purpose of exerting downward pressure upon the 30 cork rods, will be controlled as a unit, whereby allot the Weights may be unitarily raised when 40 independent descendingmovenient to thereby rest with equality of pressure upon all of the cork rods in'tc'the tubes regardless of variation in".the length of the rods. f

These and other objects are. accomplished by the invention, a more particular description of ich appears hereinafter and is set forth in the claims appended hereto. i

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part nachine made in accordance with the invention; Fig. 2 is a sectional view on the line 2-2-of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows; Fig. 3 is a, plan View of the machine; Fig. .4 is a sectional view through one of the tubes for holding the 55 cork 'rod to be cut into disks; Fig. 5 is a secrotating cutting knife which severs the rode into hereof, Fig. '1 is a side elevation of a cork-cutting 50 15 Claims. (01. in -21) tional view on the line 5--5 of Fig. 4, looking in the direction of the arrows; Fig. 6 is a sectional View on the line B-6 of Fig. 3, looking in the direction of the arrows; Fig. Tie a sectional view on the line 'i-l' of Fig. 6, looking in thedir'ection of thear'rows; and Fig. 8 is a sectional View on the line't 8, 8.of Fig. '7, looking in the direction of the arrows. a

In the drawings, 1 indicates a top ortableportion of a supporting frame which includes the sidebars la and legs 2, the latter resting upon drive shaft is indicated at'fithe same being rotatabl y mounted in the bearings land'fi on the 1 frame, said shafthaving a pulley '6 secured upon 1 it and another pulley l loose on it. A belt 8 extends iroiiu'a' suitable source of power such as an electric motor, and said belt extends around either'the pulley *6 or the pulley 7, said belt being shiftedfro'm'one pulley to the other by means oijthe shifter-fingers 9 provided on the longitudinally movable 'con'trol shaft Hit. It will be understood from the foregoing that "when the belt is'extended around the loose pulley l, shaft twill not berotated and when thebelthas been u shit ed "to extend around "the pulley 6,the shaft 3 will the-ribs driven. 'The means for shifting the control shaft it to secure drive or nondriv of shaftt'willbe later described.

. Shaft? carries a beveled "gear H which meshes with "beveled gear i2 secured on the end of a vertical shaft 13 extending through bearing M formed on the top i of the frame of the machne. At its upperend, the vertical shaft 53 is secured in'a'bose ltfo'rmed on a rotatable'turret it. The

turret is formed with annular walls '1'! and i8 and'anchor'ed between said wallsis a plurality of vertically disposed"tubes "is, each of said tubes being adapted to receive a cork rod 28 intended to heart into disks as theturr'et is rotated by" means of a revolving disk cutter 2i (seefFig. 1).

' Cutter 2] isv secured on shaftiiifi carrying pulley i 06 engaged by belt Iill extending froni a suitable source of,p0wer.

The bottom of the turret It is apertured below each'tube lB'to permit the cork rod to descend andprmect out of the lower end 'of the turret as shown at 22 in Fig. 4, this projecting portion of each rod coming into contact with the cutter 2 ij andbeing severed to produce a disk. An anthe' jflo'or or other suitable support. The main nular plate 23 limits the downward movement of the cork'rod and determines the thickness of the disk to be'severedfrom the cork rod by the disk cutter 2!. The turret elements thus far described are old and well known in this art and form no part of the present invention.

To facilitate the placement of a cork rod in the tubes l9, each of said tubes is formed with a cut-away portion 24 or opening, clearly disclosed in Figs. 1 and 4. In placing the rod in position in the tube, the rod may be flexed slightly as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 4 and is slid downwardly into the tube in the manner indicated by the dotted lines and arrow in said figure. The cork rod in each tube is adapted to be forced downwardly and also held against rotative movement within the tube in which it is placed by means of a weight 25 located in each tube. Each weight is capable of gravitational descent independently of the other weights. The lower end of each weight 25 is provided with teeth 26 which engage the top of the cork rod in the tube l9 and prevent the same from rotative movement. Surrounding the outside of each tube i9 is a collar 21 which is pinned to the weight 25 within the tube by means of a pin 28 extending through the collar 21 and entering into the weight 25. Each of the tubes |9 is provided with an elongated slot 29 through which the pin extends and which permits raising and lowering movement of the weight 25, collar 21 and pin 28 as a unit.

The upper ends of the gang of tubes iii are held in an annulus 30 provided with three inwardly bent arms 3| engaging the upperends of three guide rods 32, the lower ends of said rods being threaded. or otherwise fixed in bosses 33 formed on the turret l6, as shown in Fig. 2. These three guide rods 32 constitute vertical guiding means for the radial arms 34 of a spider 35. The radial arms 34 of the spider carry a lifter ring 35a which, when the spider 35 is elevated, engages under the projecting portions of pins 28 on all of the weights 25, and simultaneously raises all of the weights. The spider is suspended upon a cable 36. At one end the cable engages loop 3'l secured to a ball-bearing 38 mounted in the hub portion 39 of the spider so that while the spider can rotate freely with the turret IS, the cable and bearing 38 will remain stationary during such rotatlve movement of the spider, turret, and various tubes l9 carried thereby. The cable 36 extends over spaced pulleys 40 and 4| rotatably mounted on an angle-iron 42 forming a cross bar extending over the top of the turret and supported at the upper ends of the vertical rods 43 and M. Cable 35 is attached to a counter-balance weight 45 which is guided vertically through an opening 56 (see Fig. 6) in guide member 4'! secured upon the supporting rod 44.

The lower end of weight 45 is attached to cable 45 (Fig. 6) which extends downwardly through a slotted guide member 58 secured on the frame of the machine, and is secured to a pulley 5|, loose on a shaft 52. Shaft 52 is rotatively mounted in the bearings 53 and 54 fastened to the underside of the top of the frame of the machine. Secured on shaft 52 is a beveled gear 55 which is driven by a beveled gear 55 which is driven by a beveled gear 56 secured on vertical shaft l3.

Loose on shaft 52 and attached to pulley 5| is a ratchet 5 adapted for engagement at certain times by a pawl 58 pivoted at 59 on the frame of the machine, the pawl being of bellcrank formation and having a projecting arm 60 engaged by spring 5| tending to force the pawl into engagement with the ratchet 5i.

Shaft ill, on which the belt-shifting fingers 9 69 which extends parallel to the shaft and is slid- T able through the machine frame and has a pointed or tapered end 10 which enables the rod to slide beneath the arm 60 of the pawl 58 to lift said arm, as shown in Fig. 6, and cause disengagement of the pawl with the ratchet 51 and 1 hold the pawl in such disengaged position. This occurs at a time when the spider 35 is being elevated and the lifter ring 35a thereof is simultaneously raising all of the weights 25. A coil spring surrounds shaft l0 and has one end bearing against the block 61 and its other end exerting pressure against the frame I of the machine. A manipulating handle 12 is secured on the end of the shaft I0.

Secured on the shaft 52 and therefore rotatable therewith, but keyed to slide longitudinally of said shaft, is a clutch member 13, said clutch member being provided with a dog 14 adapted to engage the dog 15 carried by the pulley 5| so that it will be apparent that when the clutch member is moved toward the pulley 5| to cause engagement of dogs 14 and I5, the pulley 5| and the ratchet 5'! carried thereby, will be rotated with the shaft 52. Clutch member 13 is moved to engaged position by means of a yoke arm 16, said yoke arm being pivoted to the frame I at 11, the yoke arm being shifted by means of a hand lever 18, pivoted at I9 between lugs extending from the frame member |a. Near its upper end, the hand lever carries a roller 8| adapted to be engaged by the lower, smallerdiameter portion 82 of the balance weight 45 when said weight has descended so that its portion 82 has entered into the guide member 50. Guide member 50 is slotted as at 83, so that when the clutch member 13 is in its engaged position, as in Fig. 8, and the weight is being pulled down, the roller 8| will partially project through said slot and be disposed in the path of the portion 82 of the weight. Thus when the weight descends as the spider 35 reaches its elevated position to lift all of the weights 25, the portion 82 will, when the weight 45 reaches the limit of its descending movement, enter into guide 50 and act as a cam against the periphery of the roller 8| to force the same outwardly to thereby also shift hand lever 18 to the right as viewed in Figs. 7 and 8, and thereby disengage clutch member 13 from driving engagement with the pulley 5|. Pulley 5| thereupon stops rotation and the upward movement of the spider 35, lifter ring 3511 and all of the weights 25 ceases. A spring 85 bears against the periphery of the pulley 5| and acts as a friction brake.

Pivoted at 85 to the upright rod 44 is a lever 81, the upper end portion of which is formed with slot 88 in which a stop pin 89 projecting from rod 44 is located, to thereby limit the extent of rocking movement of the lever. At its upper end.

lever 8'! is provided with a cam surface 96 adapted to be engaged by the larger-diameter part9l of the counter-balance weight 45 when said weight descends. A leaf spring 92 secured on the rod 44 presses against the lever 81 above its pivot 88, thereby normally holding said lever in the position shown in full lines in Fig. 6, so that the lower end' in an elevated position, and its lifter ring 35a is I engaged under the pins 28 and has raised the weights above the cut-out portions'24 in tubes I9, as shown. in Fig. 4, enabling the cork rods to be inserted one after another into all of the tubes l9. At this time, pawl 58 is in engagement with the ratchet 51 preventing said ratchet from turning in a direction to permit the .descent of the spider under its own weight. At this time also, spring H is exerting its influence on shaft Hi so that the belt-shifter fingers 9 have moved the belt to position on the loose roller 7, whereby shaft-3, and the gearing driven thereby is idle. Also at this time, counter-balance weight s5 is in a lowered position with its portion 82 bearing against roller 8! and holding clutch member 13 When all of the tubes it in the turret have been filled with cork rods 28, the operator pulls on lever 72, toward the left as viewed in Fig. 2, and against the tension of the spring H. When this is done belt 8 is moved from loose pulley l to the pulley 6 and shaft 3 begins to rotate, to thereupon rotate the turret l5; As the shaft 11 is moved longitudinally under manual pull and is held in a drawn-out position until weight 45 has risen to aposition above the'upper end of lever 81, rod 69 carried by. said shaft, engages under arm 68 of the pawl 53 and disengages the pawl from ratchet 5'! as shown in Fig. 6. When the pawl is disengaged from the ratchet 51, theratchet and at tached pulley 5| are free to rotate on shaft 52 so that the spider 55, lifter ring a and all of the weights 25 are free to descend of their own weight, the spider coming to rest on the supports 99 on turret It and the weights 25 coming to rest upon the tops of the cork rods in the tubes 19; As

the turret is rotated, the lower end of the cork rods are brought into contact with the disk cutter 2! in the manner well understood and the rods are severed into thecork disks which fall into the chute I ill) and into a suitablereceptacle placed below the chute. i

' When all of the cork rods have been severed into disks, rotation of the turret is stopped to permit the tubes IE] to be refilled with cork rods. To

do this, the operator pushes lever 18 inwardly,

or toward the right as viewed in Fig. 2, causing clutch member 13 to be engaged with pulley 5|. Upon pulley 5! being so rotated, it begins to wind up cable as, drawing counter-balance weight .45 downwardly and exerting pull on cable as to cause it to raise the spider 35. As spider 35 rises, its lifter ring 35a engages underneath projecting portions of the pins 28 and lifts all of the weights 25 simultaneously to a position above each of the cut-out portions or openings 24 in the tubes I9 .(Fig. 4). As weight descends, its larger-diameter portion 91 operates against the cam portionof movement, independent of the others.

stop rotation of the shaft 3and the turret l6 driven therefrom. f 7

As shaft lilis moved longitudinally under the impulse of spring H, rod 69 is moved from its position beneath arm of pawl 58 so that the pawl is brought'into engagement with the ratchet 51.

As weight 45 continues its descent, its smaller-' diameter portion 82 enters into guide 56, contacts with roller 8| and forces lever 18 outwardly or into disengaged position. Rotation of the turret 1'. has ceased, pulley 5| has stopped its rotation,

weight 45 is in the lowered position shown at c.

in Fig. 6, the spider is elevated. and all of the weights 25 are held in raised position by the lifter ring 350.. Y The operator now fills the tubes I El with cork rods 20, pulls on handle l2 and holds the same-pulled out against the tension of spring H until theweight 45 has passed upward beyond the cam portion 90 of the lever 87. Operator then allows end 93 of-lever 81 to enter the notch 94 of shaft Hi. The parts are now" in the positions shown in Fig. 2, the turret is rotating, and the rods are being severed into the disks.

It will be seen from the foregoing that while i an arrangement is provided by means of which all of the weights 25 may be simultaneously raised and lowered, the mechanism which raises the weights and permits them to be lowered is such'as to permit each weight to'have freedom That is to say, since each weight can come down on top of the cork rodlocated below it in thetube independently of the other weights, each weight canadjust itself to any variation in the length of the rods placed in the tubes. Thus, all of the advantages of freely independent weights is secured by the improved construction, yet at the same time all of the weights can be manipulated simultaneously provided.

What I claim is:

1-. In a machine for; cutting cork rods into disks, a rotating turret provided with a plurality of tubes, each of which receives a cork rod to be severed into disks, a rotary cutting knife to which the rods are successively carried by rotati'on of the turret, a weight, contained within each 1 tube for exerting downward pressure upon the disks, a rotating turret provided with a plurality of vertically-disposed tubes, each of which re-.

ceives and carries a cork rod to be severed into disks, a rotary cutting knife to which the rods are carried by rotation of the turret, a Weight contained within each tube above the cork rod therein for exerting downward pressure upon the rod, and means for simultaneously raising all of the weights out of the portions of the tubes wherein the rods are located or simultaneously bringing all ofthe weights to rest upon the upper ends of the rods within the tubes, said means permitting independent downward pressure of each weight. I

3. In a machine for cutting cork rods into disks, a rotating turret provided with a plurality of vertically disposed tubes, each of which receives and holds a cork rod to be severed, a weight ineach tube for exerting pressure on the upper end of the cork rod in the tube, each of said weights having a projecting element extendafromroller 6 onto loose roller 1 and thereupon and a great saving in time is thus ing externally of the tube, an annular lifter for engaging said projecting elements to lift said weights, means for engaging said lifter to cause the same to be rotated with the turret, and means for raising and lowering said lifter to cause the same to raise all of the weights into the upper portion of the tubes within which they are contained, and to cause lowering movement of all of the weights simultaneously when the lifter is lowered.

4. In machine for cutting cork rods into disks, a rotating turret provided with a plurality of vertically disposed tubes, each of which receives and holds a cork rod to be severed, said tubes being arranged in circular formation, a weight in each tube for exerting pressure on the upper end of the cork rod in the tube, each of said weights having a projecting element extending externally of the tube, an annular lifter arranged within the circle of tubes for engaging with the projecting elements on all of the weights to thereby lift all of said weights simultaneously or permit simultaneous lowering movement of the same when said lifter is lowered, and means for raising and lowering said lifter.

5. In a machine for cutting cork rods into disks, a rotating turret provided with a plurality of vertically disposed tubes, each of which received and holds a cork rod to be severed, said tubes being arranged in circular formation, a weight mounted for vertical sliding movement within each tube to exert pressure on the upper end of the cork rod in the tube, a collar mounted for sliding movement on the outside of each tube, a pin extending through the collar and tube and entering the weight, the tube having an elongated slot to permit vertical movement of the pin, an annular lifter arranged within the circle of tubes for engaging with the projecting pins on all of the weights to thereby lift all of the weights simultaneously or permit simultaneous lowering movement of all of said weights when said lifter descends, and means for raising and lowering said lifter.

6. In a machine for cutting cork rods into disks, a rotating turret having a plurality of tubes arranged in a circle, a weight mounted for vertical movement in each tube, an annular lifter within the circle of tubes, said lifter being rotatable with the turret, means on the weights for engaging said lifter when the lifter is elevated to cause simultaneous raising movement of all of the weights within the tubes, and non-rotative means for raising and lowering the lifter.

'7. In a machine for cutting cork rods into disks, a rotating turret provided with a plurality of vertically disposed tubes, each of which receives and holds a cork rod to be severed, said tubes ceing arranged in circular formation, a weight mounted for vertical sliding movement within each tube to exert pressure on the upper end of the cork rod in the tube, a collar mountted for sliding movement on the outside of each tube, a pin extending through the collar and tube and entering the weight, the tube having an elongated slot to permit vertical movement of the pin, an annular lifter arranged within the circle of tubes for engaging with the projecting pins on all of the weights to thereby lift all of the weights simultaneously or permit simultaneous lowering movement of all of said weights when said lifter descends, means on the turret for guiding the lifter in its raising and lowering movement and causing rotation of said lifter in company with the turret, and means for raising and lowering said lifter, said raising and lowering means being stationary with respect to the turret.

8. In a machine for cutting cork rods into disks, a rotating turret having a plurality of vertically disposed tubes arranged in a circle, a weight vertically movable in each tube, an annular lifter rotatable with the turret and located within the circle of tubes, means on the weights extending in a direction toward the center of the circle of tubes for engaging said lifter when the lifter is elevated to cause simultaneous raising movement of all of the weights within the tubes, and non-rotative means for raising and lowering the lifter.

9. In a machine for cutting cork rods into disks, a rotating turret having a plurality of vertically disposed tubes arranged in a circle, a weight vertically movable in each tube, each of said tubes being provided with an elongated slot, a pin extending from each weight and extending through the slot and projecting outside of the tube, a vertically movable lifter member located below the projecting portions of the pins and adapted on its upward movement to engage said pins and simultaneously raise all of the weights, raising and lowering mechanism for said lifter member, said raising and lowering mechanism being fixed relative to the rotating turret.

10. In a machine for cutting cork rods into disks, a rotating turret provided with a plurality of tubes, each of said tubes receiving a cork rod to be severed into disks, a rotary cutting knife to which the rods are successively carried by rotation of the turret, a weight contained within each tube for exerting downward pressure upon the cork rod therein, an annular lifter member for raising all of the weights simultaneously within the tubes, means on the turret for guiding said lifter member in its raising and lowering movement, means for raising and lowering the lifter member including a cable, pulleys over which said cable extends, a balance weight attached to said cable, a take-up pulley for winding up the cable to raise the lifter member, means for rotating said take-up pulley, said means including a clutch, and means controlled by the balance weight for disengaging the clutch when the lifter member has been elevated to the limit of its raising movement.

11. In a machine for cutting cork rods into disks, a rotating turret having a series of tubes arranged in a circle, a weight located in each tube, an annular lifter member disposed within the circle of tubes for engagement with all of the weights to lift the same simultaneously when the lifter member is raised, means for raising and lowering the lifter member, said means including a bearing permitting rotative movement of the lifter member in company with the turret while the raising and lowering means remains stationary.

12. In a machine for cutting cork rods into disks, a rotating turret provided with a series of vertical tubes, each of said tubes receiving a cork rod to be severed into disks, a rotary cutting knife to which the rods are successively carried by rotation of the turret, a weight contained within each tube for exerting downward pressure upon the rod therein, the weights being downwardly movable independently of one another, an annular lifter member surrounded by the series of tubes for raising all of the weights simultaneously within the tubes, means on the turret for guiding said lifter member in its raising and lowering movement, means for raising and lowering the lifter member including a cable, pulleys over which said cable extends, a balance Weight attached to said cable, a take-up pulley for winding up the cable to raise the lifter member, means for rotating said take-up pulley, said means including a clutch, means controlled by the balance weight for disengaging the clutch when the lifter member has been elevated to the limit of its raising movement, and means also controlled by said balance weight for stopping rotation of the turret as the lifter member is rising.

13. In a machine for cutting cork rods into disks, a rotating turret having a series of tubes arranged in a circle, a weight located in each tube, an annular lifter member disposed within the circle of tubes for engagement with all of the weights to lift the same simultaneously when the lifter member is raised, means for raising and lowering the lifter member, said'means including a cable, pulleys over which the same is moved, and a bearing suspended from the cable and carrying the lifter member, said bearing permitting rotative movement of the lifter member in company with the turret while the raising and lowering means remains stationary.

14. In a machine for cutting cork rods into disks, a rotating turret, a series of circularly arranged, vertical tubes carried thereby for receiving cork rods, a weight in each tube for exerting downward pressure upon each rod,'a spider located within the circle of tubes, means for vertically guiding the spider, said guide means ineluding vertically disposed rods carried by the turret, an annulus carried by the spider, projections extending from the weights and overlying the annulus whereby raising movement of the spider will cause the annulus to engage the projections and elevate the weights within the tubes, and means for raising and lowering the spider, said means including a bearing whereby the spider can rotate thereon in company with the turret and independently of the raising and lowering means.

15. In a machine for cutting cork rods into disks, a rotating turret, a series of circularly arranged, vertical tubes carried thereby for receiving cork rods, a weight in each tube for exerting downward pressure upon each rod, a spider located within the circle of tubes, means for vertically guiding the spider, said guide means including vertically disposed rods carried by the turret and extending through the arms of the spider, an annulus carried by the spider, projections extending from the weights and overlying the annulus .whereby raising movement of the spider will bring the annulus into engagement with the projections and elevate the weights within the tubes, and means for raising and lowering the spider, said means including a cable and means for exerting pull thereon, and a bearing suspended on said cable whereby the spider can rotate on said bearing in company with the turret and independently of the raising and lowering means.

JOHN M. BINDER. 

